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NEWARK - If you are a doughnut lover, you might want to head to Newark City Hall between 11:30 and 1 p.m. Friday.

The Newark Salvation Army's staff members and volunteers will be passing out free doughnuts and coffee in honor of National Doughnut Day.

Fans of the beloved breakfast pastry might not realize National Doughnut Day was actually created by the Salvation Army in 1938.

"Feeding people is a very strong part of our mission," said Kaye Hartman, volunteer coordinator at the Salvation Army.

Doughnuts have been associated with the Salvation Army since World War I, Lt. Denise Martin said.

The organization sent women, known as "doughnut lassies" overseas to help the troops. They would darn their socks, write letters home, cook meals for them and serve them doughnuts that were fried in big barrels of oil.

"Back then, the Salvation Army was kind of like the USO," Hartman said.

During World War II, doughnut lassies would pass out free coffee and doughnuts to troops at the train stations, Martin said.

Many older Americans remember the doughnut lassies and their dedication to helping the soldiers, she said.

"When you are standing at the kettles, a lot of older veterans will put money in and say, 'This is because the Salvation Army gave to me when I was overseas and didn't ask for anything in return,' " she said.

For the last several years, Salvation Armies across the country have worked with the company Entemann's Bakery to celebrate National Doughnut Day.

This year, the Newark Salvation Army was chosen to receive a donation of doughnuts from Entemann's, which will be passed out Friday from a mobile canteen, Hartman said.

People who can't make it downtown to get a doughnut can pick up special boxes of Entemann's doughnuts at local grocery stores. They also can enter a Facebook sweepstakes to win free doughnuts for a year, Hartman said.

Hartman said her hope is that people will come for a doughnut and stay to learn more about the Salvation Army and the work that it does.

"I love sharing the history of the Army," she said. "We are always searching for ways to get our message out and let people know who we are."

Many people know the Salvation Army helps people at Christmastime, but they don't realize the local corps organizes a day camp, a summer lunch program, a soup kitchen, an emergency shelter and many other programs," Martin said.

"(Passing out doughnuts) a way to remind people we are always here. We serve year round," she said.